BPDA Board

The BPDA Board is the official agency body with five members who come from Boston’s neighborhoods and care about the city’s future. They vote on all final determinations and agreements at the agency, including planning studies, rezoning initiatives, and project permitting. The BPDA Board will only act on final project approval following an extensive community vetting and stakeholder review process led by BPDA staff. Four of the five board members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. One member is appointed by the Governor. Board members serve five year staggered terms.

The BPDA Board meets at regularly-scheduled public meetings, usually held every three weeks on Thursday afternoons. Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend these meetings in addition to submitting written comments to the Board in advance via the Executive Director/Secretary's Office.

Board meetings are held in the BPDA Board Room on the 9th floor of Boston City Hall (the Kane Simonian Room, Room 900). Members of the public can get information about the BPDA Board meeting schedule and agendas via the online calendar. In addition, notices of scheduled BPDA Board meetings are posted on bulletin boards located on the 1st and 9th floors of Boston City Hall.

Timothy J. Burke, Chairman

2011-Present

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For the past 8 years, Timothy has served as the Chief Executive Officer of a New England drug treatment program that provides a safe and therapeutic environment for its clients. He spent five years at the Boston Housing Authority working in Planning, Design and Development. In this role, Mr. Burke was responsible for the management and oversight of general contractors, architects and consultants. Timothy is a lifelong Boston resident and currently resides in Brighton. He holds a BA in Business Administration from Boston University and a Masters in Urban Affairs. Mr Burke also received his Master Degree in Social Work from Boston College.

Carol Downs, Treasurer

2015-Present

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Carol Downs has been a small business owner, community volunteer, and Boston resident for over two decades. Carol is a founding Co-owner and General Manager of Bella Luna & The Milky Way, an award-winning dining and entertainment landmark in Jamaica Plain since 1993. She has served since 2002 as a trustee of the Neighborhood House Charter School in Dorchester, where both of her children attended school. She also served on Mayor Walsh’s Economic Development Transition Team and the Mayor’s Late Night Task Force. Prior to becoming a small business owner, Carol worked for Citizens for Safety and Teen Empowerment.

A graduate of the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Philosophy, Carol lives in Roslindale with her husband and two children.

Michael P. Monahan, Member

2013-Present

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Michael P. Monahan currently serves as the Business Manager of Local 103 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, representing more than 7,000 electrical and telecommunication members in the Greater Boston area.

Mike was initiated into Local 103, IBEW, in 1983. He rose through the ranks quickly from Executive Board Member to Business Agent and then to his present position as Business Manager in 2003. He is recognized as one of the most talented and effective leaders that Local 103, IBEW, has seen in its history.

In addition to the strong and steady leadership he provides to his Local Union on a daily basis, he exudes the same qualities when providing services for the community, whether it is coordinating volunteer efforts for electricians who are donating their skills at various places, such as schools and private homes for disabled individuals, or the installation of wireless capabilities for the City. From his days as a rank-and-file member through his current position as Business Manager, Mike has met every challenge and serves his membership with pride and distinction.

Dr. Theodore C. Landsmark, Member

2014-Present

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Ted Landsmark is Mayor Martin J. Walsh’s first appointment to the Board of Directors. During his seventeen year tenure as President and CEO of the Boston Architectural College, Dr. Landsmark helped to grow the school from a center into an internationally recognized institution. In August 2014, Ted was named President Emeritus of the college. He brings with him to the board a wealth of expertise in architecture, urban design, civic leadership, and architectural and construction law.

A graduate of Yale with a Ph.D. from Boston University, Ted has established himself as an innovative leader with a passion for public service. He has traveled the world extensively to study cities – from London and Paris to Istanbul and Tokyo – and facilitated planning sessions in New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.

Ted has served as a trustee or board member for several organizations, including the American Architectural Foundation, Historic New England and Historic Boston, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. He was also president of the National Architectural Accrediting Board.

Ted is a longtime resident of Jamaica Plain.

Priscilla Rojas, Vice Chairman

2015-Present

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Priscilla Rojas, a native of Aurora, IL, has over thirteen years of international audit and consulting experience with numerous Fortune 500 companies. Her professional endeavors have helped her gain hands-on experience working in over a dozen countries, including India, Australia, Japan and Ireland. In October 2015, Priscilla became the Senior Manager of Internal Audit at Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Priscilla holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from DePaul University and is a licensed Certified Internal Auditor (CIA®) and Project Management Professional (PMP®).

Priscilla commits her passion and leadership to organizations promoting the advancement of people of color, women and the arts. Priscilla is also a member of the Boston Educational Development Foundation Board (BEDF) and Boston Cultural Council (BCC). In addition, she is a long-time member of the Association of Latino Professionals for America and a sister of Sigma Lambda Gamma, the nation’s largest Latina-based sorority with multicultural membership.

Priscilla resides in Boston’s Leather District with her husband, Jabes Rojas.